The Greatest of These is Love: An Angel Message

 Our favorite lake has been void of ducks of any kind.  We miss the splashing and paddling, stirring up the swollen waters that are thankfully receding.   Yesterday hope was in the air.  A strange squeaky noise like a dog's rubber toy wheezed in the marshy reeds. 

With my camera zoom, I was curious.   Have you ever seen such an odd duck?  It has an unusual orange square shield on its forehead and dark eyes. And, a beak like a Halloween candy corn kernel. Orange with a yellow tip. A sweet image.    

An online searched brought no luck under Florida ducks. Then, an old photo on an Australian website turned up a winner.  Our strange new waterfowl was not a duck, but a Moorhen.  Instead of web feet for paddling, it has long toes to walk on soft marshy ground without sinking. It can adapt and overcome obstacles in harsh environments. 

Synchronicity was at play when the Moorhen picture appeared. The caption brought a smile. "The Greatest of These is Love." And,  the Moorhen was named the World Bird on 4/11/12 by the Australian webmaster.  A few weeks ago, I read The Greatest Thing in the World by Henry Drummond.  I  took up his challenge to read I Corinthians 13, every week for the next three months.  A man did once and it changed his whole life.  Love is the greatest thing in the world. And, to do anything without love, is to do nothing.  So I was grateful for the reminder as I'd slacked off. 

More research revealed Moorhens are considered spiritual birds with symbolism that goes beyond the physical world.  That was certainly true in my experience.  

Associated with motherhood, it fiercely protects its young. 

The bottom line, the Moorhen brings a message to start fresh and make a new beginning.  A sign of adaptability and change.  Like the Moorhen, we can adapt to our surroundings and make the best of the situation, but to do it with love and watch the results.  

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not Love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not Love, I am nothing.  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not Love, it profiteth me nothing.

    Love suffereth long, and is kind;

    Love envieth not;

Love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.

Doth not behave itself unseemly,

Seeketh not her own,

Is not easily provoked,

Thinketh no evil;

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things,

endureth all things... "  (I COR. xiii)

Love and peace,

Rae Karen

Writing in the Sky: An Angel Message

Out-of-the blue yesterday, my son spotted a gifted skywriter spelling out TRUST in swirling smokey white letters above the theme parks in Orlando, Florida. A good reminder to keep looking up.

TRUST.

TRUST in the things above and not below.

Angel messages are always on time.  And it's amazing how a small aircraft expels special smoke to create patterns that create writing readable from the ground.  

An uplifting reminder to Trust in God today to meet your every need.  "For He has given his angels charge over you..."  (Psalm 91)

Love and peace,

Rae Karen

Happy Spring Solstice: An Angel Message

 Happy Spring Solstice! Archangel Raphael is the Governor of the new season, a wonderful time to celebrate new life.  Winter has passed, and hopefully we've shed (let go) of what no longer serves us.  All in preparation for a new beginning.  Resurrection energy is blossoming once again.

 Nature is a true witness to the powerful change in seasons.  The peacocks are out of hiding, happily dressed in exquisite new plumage.  The fall and winter molting seasons led up to this wonderful time. A shivering and rattling of undulating fanfare to attract a mate.

Sometimes, he must be patient and wait, on-high, at her window....

But with toes crossed, he has high hopes of good luck coming his way.

The royal peacock brings a hopeful message to watch and wait.  Watch your words and your thoughts, especially what you think and say about yourself.  Be patient with yourself and with others. Think on the bright side. 

And, like the peacock, put your right foot forward, and take it one step at a time, moving forward in grace.

Raphael means "God has Healed."  Call on Archangel Raphael to bring radiant healing to dissolve any blockages that may hold you back from a wonderful new beginning. Then, watch what you say and think. Speak only positive life-affirming words over your life, and get ready to bloom!

Love and peace,

Rae Karen

Because of You: An Angel Message

Coming around the bend in the road by the lake, a large white van with the words Because of You caught my attention on the hood of the vehicle.  

Because of You...  

It seemed like an angel message, but regrettably, we passed by with no time for a blog photo. 

Imagine my surprise to get a second-chance a short time later.  On the way to the library, stopped at a traffic light at a major intersection, there it was again.  The Because of You van idled in traffic!  A far-shot, but when greatly magnified, the sun-lit words were legible.

 

"Because of You" means many things to many people.  Tony Bennett sang, "Because of you there is a song in my heart." 

But like the van's picture when magnified, the message is readily understandable.  A reminder that Because of You (God's infinite love)...we live and move and have our being. 

It's comforting to know that we are never alone.  Our guardian angel is with us as we go about our day, blessing us with the happy things of God that unexpectedly come our way.

Love and peace,

Rae Karen

 

Measure Twice, Cut Once: An Angel Message

  "How do I love thee?

Let me count the ways."

          --Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Swinging on an invisible thread, a tiny green inchworm caught my eye yesterday while watering the shrubs at the side of the house. I happened to look up, and the angle of the sun's rays illumined his stellar performance.  Watching him joyfully ride the breeze, measuring the upward climb, inch by inch.

  A childhood tune wafted in the air that seemed to come out of nowhere. 

 Inchworm, Inchworm, measuring the marigolds. You and your arithmetic, you'll probably go far.  Inchworm, Inchworm seems to me, you'd stop and see how beautiful they are. 

As I sang to him, he raised his green head, and wiggled up higher on sun-lit thread. I didn't take it personally.  I'm not a great singer but it came from my heart.  

It had been a long time since I'd last seen an inchworm. I was thankful for the gentle reminder to think more with my heart, and less with my head.

But, there was more.

 Later, in the morning, something wiggled on the knee of my peach clam diggers on the ride home from the market. Curled up in a tiny green ball, I wasn't sure what it was at first.  I'd thrashed around a bit in surprise of another visitor.  I hoped the inchworm was okay, and said a little prayer.  Slowly, he lifted his head ever so slightly. He was alive!  At home, I gently placed the little messenger in the shade of the oak to rest on a leaf.

Inchworms... 2  times in 1 day, seemed like an angel prescription.  Again, think more with heart, less with logic.  

Curious, I looked up the symbolism on-line:

Inchworm:  "Something in your life is not adding up.  Take the time to figure out what needs to be re-measured."

Measure twice, cut once.

Go figure. This morning, from the sun-room,  I happened to catch sight of an inchworm dangling by a thread.   The answer to a search for a blog photo. 

 

 Although last night, an on-line search had turned up a perfect photo. A tiny green inchworm, back hunched, measuring my favorite flower, a purple iris.  A sign from God that I'm on the right path.  And, iris, at one time was the word for a rainbow. 

 Remember you are never alone.   Your guardian angel is with you.  You are loved beyond measure.

Love and peace,

Rae Karen

 

 

  

Give a Little Whistle: An Angel Message

I love it when angels speak through nature with a touch of humor.  Imagine looking out your window and seeing an odd sight.  A brown duck, with a big orange beak, inching its flat web feet across a cable in the sky...like a cartoon character.

What was it doing up there?  I laughed, as it awkwardly tried to maintain balance on the high wire.   Rubbery orange feet perfect for paddling, not for gripping.

 

For the longest time, he watched me, watching him, as if patiently hoping I'd get the message: Take baby steps to maintain your balance now.  Take the high road when communicating, and avoid getting stuck in the turbulence below. A much needed lesson delivered during the unprecedented challenges in our country, and the world, that began in 2020.

Thank you! I laughed. His humorous stance made a lasting impression to do your best to stay on-high at that time. 

 With a seeming sigh of relief, the brown duck spread its wings, and took flight. Mission accomplished.     

This week I learned another trait of the odd duck messenger, as well as its name, a Black-bellied Whistling Duck. Over a hundred of these gorgeous long-legged, orange-pink billed ducks, with white-eye rings, gathered in rows and rows on the banks of the overflow water reservoir near the Buttercup Bakery. Elliot and I had stopped by for desserts while running errands.  Did you ever notice how the word desserts is stressed spelled backwards?  A sweet remedy for stress relief.  It turned out a double treat, as our favorite ducks no longer come to the lake near home, and we miss them.  

The Black-bellied Whistling Ducks really do have a whistle for their call, not a quack was heard from the bunch. A cheerful whistling trill rode the breeze as the playful flock swam and splashed in the water, in what appeared a friendly game like leap frog as they took turns bouncing over one another in a big splash. Whistling ducks... something new and different.  A joyful orchestration.  

While writing about whistling just now,  a childhood song wafted in. Jimminy Cricket's song from the Disney Pinocchio movie.  Give a little whistle...and always let your conscience be your guide. 

It had been so long, I looked up the lyrics:

"Take the straight and narrow path

And if you start to slide

Give a little whistle

Give a little whistle

And, always let your conscience be your guide."

 

Have a joyful day with your angels. Remember you are never alone.  Give a little whistle...God has sent His angels to watch over you and guide you.

Love and peace,

Rae Karen

Give a Little Whistle Music and lyrics by:

Leigh Harline

Ned Washington

For Land Sakes Alive, Pink Periwinkles!

 Angel messages often have a way of sneaking up, and when least expected, catch us off-guard in awe of their special delivery. Whatever the case, they usually make a lasting impression, a ray of hope. And in that special moment, we know more is happening than we can presently understand. So keep on believing. The best is yet to be.

 Yesterday afternoon's walk in the woods behind our house, a heap of old black tires was a sign of times changing, dumped and forgotten no longer useful.  To prepare for new houses the woods are being cleaned up and cleared for lots. No longer home to wild turkeys, deer, and other animals.  The magical entrance into the woods is gone, without a heart for nature. 

Change is the only constant, and one has to accept what is.  

The sun was bright and a breeze stirred the spring-like day. I tried to look on the bright side.

Many old trees were still standing. 

Then in the midst of a sandy clearing, a sunlit patch of wild pink periwinkles stuck out like a mirage. How had they survived?  It was as if an angel had stooped down from heaven and planted them on the path. A tender note of good cheer. I wasn't sure to let them stay rooted where they were blooming or save the lovely periwinkles from possible upheaval by a bulldozer.   

Elliot and I returned with a pot and a shovel on a rescue mission.  The first thrust of the spade hit hard rocky soil, but I slowly dug a circle round the flowering plant. Its roots loosened, and the periwinkles found a new home in our front yard. 

Like all major moves, there is a period of adjustment. In the evening, the plant looked sad, with wilted leaves.  I gave it a tall drink of water and hoped for the best.  This morning the lovely periwinkles were back in the pink, greeting the sunshine.   

When I read the symbolism of the periwinkles this morning, the message was perfect.   Its essence awakens a renewed sense of coming into new life. It has ties to the energies of love and immortality, and is associated with the Virgin Mother.  

And, pink is the color of divine love.

What angel messages are catching you off-guard? 

 It's wonderful to remember we're always in the company of our guardian angels, and even more wonderful when every now and then we get a surprising glimpse of divine love right on time.

Peace and Joy,

Rae Karen

THUD... an Angel Message?

Sometimes our guardian angels get creative, and our headstrong cat delivers messages if I pay attention.  A few nights ago, Hei-Hei jumped up on the nightstand, and swatted something to the floor, in hopes I'd get up and feed him before dawn. 

THUD. 

"There goes my eyeglasses." I thought, rolling over and letting it be what it is.

The next morning, I laughed at the spectacles perfect landing...positioned on an angel hatbox filled with postcards from around the world.  A touch of heavenly humor...the cherub's eye was magnified through only one lens of my eyeglasses. It seemed like an angel reminder.  See the world through a single lens of divine love.  A magnification of God's celestial presence. 

Hei-Hei was on a streak.  Last week, while I was writing at my computer, focused on the screen, he tapped my shoulder several times at noon.  I didn't pay attention until I heard a THUD.  He swatted a rock off the windowsill, and was rolling it around the office floor. 

That did it.  I smiled at what caused the THUD.  A yellow hand-painted HOPE rock. It had been a special "find" underneath the picnic table at the lake in 2020.  HOPE.  The hungry cat's HOPE was soon  fulfilled. I thanked him for the HOPE angel reminder, and fed him lunch.     

 

Later, I turned HOPE over.  Psalm 31:24 was on the back.  I looked up the verse. The timing seemed important. 

"Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord."
 

Hei-Hei's name means Window.  That was his name when we adopted him from the shelter four years ago. 

I realized how sometimes the angels create a THUD to get my attention.  A sign I could be more attentive to their helpful whispers throughout the day.

Love and peace,

Rae Karen

Monkey-Mind Exercise: An Angel Message

My ego mind is restless today, chattering like a monkey in a sea of endless distractions. 

 

I dug up this old photo a friend sent me on a Caribbean cruise vacation.  A playful little monkey took a shine to her, and rode on her shoulder at a wildlife park. 

One way to handle the monkey mind is to concentrate and be in the now.  To practice awareness of what you're doing.  And try to do only one thing at a time.  Eat breakfast without working the crossword puzzle. Begin the day in meditation and prayer.  Connect with your being.

 

Later today, more monkey distractions surfaced with a message. This retro optical illusion postcard of a woman? Or a chimp? It all depends on how you look at it.   Each moment the decision is yours as to where you place your attention. One brings peace, the other not so much so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And, with the wave of monkey thoughts rushing in,  I got a stronger message.   For some reason, I heard, check the label on my lounging pants as I tucked them on the closet shelf. A favorite old pair--baggy and soft with  little owl designs, that I put on most evenings to relax.

 

 

  

I was glad I listened to the angel message.

As I read the label:  just be...  

I grabbed the magnifier to be sure.

 

Just be...

 

 

 

Love and peace,

Rae Karen

Prayerful Hands of Peace: An Angel Message

 

A Time to Celebrate Trees: Angel Message

I was bundled up in my heavy fleece winter coat, the old one with the embroidered flowers on the lapel.  Hei-Hei, our cat, stared wide-eyed at my odd appearance, startled by the ball of fake fur on top of my beige stocking cap pulled down over my ears. He seemed perplexed, wondering if I had a run-in with a friendly squirrel, or else I was just plain nuts.   

It is a little crazy to live in Florida. To long for white glistening snows, fun sledding, and warm cocoa by the fireplace.  At heart, I'm a regular Nanook from the North.  A drop in temperature gets my blood stirring and out of the stuffiness of the house and into the fresh, crisp air. 

 So that day, I looked forward to visiting a special historic oak tree, rooted not far from the windy shores of Daytona Beach. 

Last year's major hurricanes made me wonder if the old oak would still be around. Four years had passed since our last visit.  A trail of shaded woods led through a patch of prickly palmettos, up and down sandy dunes, we trekked in search of the old tree. Then up ahead in the forest, there it was. The old tree was patiently waiting, as all trees must do. Heavy limbs twisted and looped like a thick pretzel formed by the winds over the years.  But something beautiful had created her into a natural archway.  A picture of beauty and grace that went far beyond physical sight.  

I was struck how the old tree bowed down to welcome all. 

Something stirred within as I accepted her invitation and stepped through the threshold, in hopes I could grow as graceful, under pressure of whatever change comes my way.  I patted her with thanks for the lesson, hoping a touch of  her patience, poise, and flexibility would stick on me.  Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.

Another old tree down the path told a story-- two hearts etched in wood. 

This is heart month, and also a time to celebrate the New Year for the Trees. 

Angel messages from nature are good for the heart.  God is always speaking to us--trees, birds, clouds, anything that moves our heart and lifts us higher.  Maybe you've noticed lately that whatever you're focusing on soon pops up on your path, a quick manifestation of thought.  

Please remember that you are never alone.  You are always in the company of God's angels.  God is Love. And, the best is yet to come. 

Love and peace,

Rae Karen

 

Objects Closer Than They Appear: An Angel Message

 

It must have been an angel tap. Yesterday at the bank while waiting in the drive-thru line, I happened to glance out my side-view mirror and saw a living portrait.  Our national symbol, Old Glory,  centered and framed in the reflection glass.  

I've seen the American flag many times, but this time was different. A humbleness touched something deep below the surface. The lone red, white, and blue flag gently waving  high above the city came to life in the sunlight.  My heart stirred as if wakening with such gratitude.  God Bless America! I pray God will keep His Hand on America and let freedom prevail.  

The bold print on the glass, OBJECTS IN MIRROR ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR made a perfect caption.  A sign to keep praying for our country, now more than ever.  Let freedom ring.  The best is yet to be.

 The lyrics to God Bless America came to mind.  "God Bless America/ Land that I love/ Stand beside her/And guide her/Through the night with the light from above."   (Irving Berlin)

Love, peace, and gratitude

Rae Karen